Gamo Vipermax

[TonyL]

So, as I have mentioned many a time, I always try to get Airguns into the conversation wheneverI talk to people. One of my customers, a lovely 66 year old chap, mentioned in one of these conversations a good few months ago that he had this cheap Airgun that he had bought from a neighbour and could I fit the scooe for him? So, he brought it to my work some time ago and I popped the scooe on for him. It's a Gamo Viper and I immediately thought that it would make a nice little ratter - cheap, lightweight and synthetic stock. And it has the steel breech block, unlike some of these newer Gamos. He had been trying to fit it to the barrel, as he really wasn't sure. Maybe he had subconciously seen Jim Tyler's breech mounted pistol scope arrangement many years ago (or the subsequent Webley Teleskan) I gave him some pointers on how to zero it and tried to encourage him to get into our fantastic hobby.

On subsequent chats, I kept asking him if he had been using it and the answer was always no and that he really didn't have a lot of interest in it.

Anyway, fast forward a few months to this last Saturday. He had bought another new bike from me on the Thursday and had come along to sort some finer details. When we had done he said, "Just come to the car a minute, I have a little something for you". I sorta knew what was coming.

We got to his car. He opened the boot, reached in and said, "Here you are, you may as well have these as I don't use them!". And handed over two nearly full tins of proper Eley Wasps and a plastic container of Air Arms Diablo Hunter (pointed) pellets. I thanked him profusely. And then he said, "Oh, and you may as well have something to use them with!" And handed over the Gamo. In its gunslip. I asked him if he was sure and he said, "Yes, absolutely, I would rather someone have it who will use it and you've always looked after me".

I was a little overwhelmed but very contented.

Later on Saturday evening, I took it out of its slip and looked over it. Mint condition. And I love the stock. I mean really, really love it. Not a surprise as I really love the synthetic '97 stock, too. Anyway, this little lightweight's stock has a really grippy butt pad, rubberised cheek piece and those grippy rubber panels on the forend. Just the ticket for some ratting around barns and farmyards.

Anyway, I got to have a first play with it yesterday. I had done a little pellet testing with the TX firstly and then thought I'll have a play with da Viper. So, cocked it - nice, easy, peasy cocking action. The pointy AA pellet was a doddle to feed into the breech. Always a pleasure on a .22 break barrel and they fed in really easily. No auto safety catch either. Anyway, took aim, took up the first stage and then, creep, creep, a little more creep and then BOING!!!! Jesus Bloody Christ, does this thing twang! I now knew what to expect. And, you know what? After a few shots you start to get used to it. The twang becomes background and that trigger, well, you soon get used to even a mediocre trigger. It actually became an absolute pleasure to use. Easy cocking stroke, lob in that easily fed pellet and they kept landing in the same neat little clusters time after time. Well, at least they did once I'd zeroed it. Robert hadn't had a single shot with it. So, starting at three yards and finally moving to my max garden range, we soon had it zeroed and much easy, therapeutic fun was had.

I actually love this little thing already.

Now, on Saturday evening, whilst surfing the net, there doesn't seem to be lots of information on the mechanical side of these things. When I looked on the Chambers site, the schematics make it look an easy thing to strip. "Barrel joint screw" no longer available, though, but I wonder if any newer models use the same pivot bolt?

Anyone had much playtime with these things? I seem to remember that, maybe, Capital Bee and Mr Budd may have had a little play?

Things I seem to remember from past surfing experiences......

Barrel shims not the best?

Built in spring guide. So, can this be removed from the block and then Mr Tinbum be enlisted to make a properly fitting one? Or, if it can't be removed, how about cutting it off but leave a little bit protruding? And the little bit that's left could locate into a recess machined into the new guide?

Stripdown....haven't seen any detailed guides. I'm guessing disconnect the ABT (and leave it off), pull the plastic end plug off. There looks to be a bolt that goes through the trigger assembly and into the end plug? Remove? And then mainspring removal a little Meteor-esque?

There never seems to be much written about these, so any little pointers will be appreciated. I could just shoot the little thing as is, but feel there's an even better rifle hiding in there waiting to come out. Oh, and any tips on improving the trigger cheaply appreciated, too.

I think we're gonna have fun.

Thanks for bearing with me writing this out, chaps. Post complete now.

[Rickenbacker]

Getting lobbed off sounds a bit rude to me.

Appologies for inturupting, you carry on Tone...

[bighit]

mark of a good saleman looking after his customers and not his commission. well done Tony.

paul

[TonyL]

Getting lobbed off sounds a bit rude to me.

Appologies for inturupting, you carry on Tone...

Mmm, see what you mean, Phil.

Having said that, getting "lobbed off" sounds like it'd be much more pleasurable than getting lobbed off.......





















A cliff!!

[buttloaves]

Its nice when a customer say's thankyou in that way, bet it made him as happy as it made you, well done.
Real Eley Wasps eh, how long have they been out of production?

[TonyL]

mark of a good saleman looking after his customers and not his commission. well done Tony.

paul

Thanks, Paul; appreciated.

I have been in sales a long time....like 35 years. And I have always stuck to my belief that you should look after all of your customers. Properly. And always put yourself in the customer's shoes and if you can honestly say to yourself that you would be happy with the service that you've just provided if you were that same customer, then you're doing your job right.

I have many long-standing customers who come back to me year after year for that reason and I always look after them and appreciate their loyalty.

Wish I had an Airgun shop!

[TonyL]

Its nice when a customer say's thankyou in that way, bet it made him as happy as it made you, well done.
Real Eley Wasps eh, how long have they been out of production?

Yes, I think it pleased him, as he will realise that it has gone to a good home. I rang him today to thank him and report thatbI had had an enjoyable little back garden session with it.

Yep, the Wasps. Not really sure when they went out of production. But I used them a lot back in the day. One of the two tins is a little rusty on the outside, but the contents of both tins look fine.

[CapitalBee]

Hi Tone. I did dabble with a Gamo, I think it was the Fox Delta. As a design engineer, they really were designed for manufacture - I think one torq driver did all of the fixings of the action to stock and the breech bolt as well. I think on the newer Gamo triggers, there is less opportunity to make small improvement (r/c bearing mod on the trigger pin) and to change the spring guide you'd have to cut it out of the trigger housing casting as the back block bolt goes through it. Hope you have some fun with it.

[bighit]

Thanks, Paul; appreciated.

I have been in sales a long time....like 35 years. And I have always stuck to my belief that you should look after all of your customers. Properly. And always put yourself in the customer's shoes and if you can honestly say to yourself that you would be happy with the service that you've just provided if you were that same customer, then you're doing your job right.

I have many long-standing customers who come back to me year after year for that reason and I always look after them and appreciate their loyalty.

Wish I had an Airgun shop!

that's what's wrong in most shops . they just want the sale .

the wife's brother has a car sales place . he did a poll on his website once. to see how many people had bought more than one car from him since he started in 2003.

one customers family had 18 cars off him in that time . mums ,dads ,sons ,daughters and grandkids.

pity her brother is a Diddy towards my wife.

[Geezer]

Nice story, Tony.

But is it really any good?

[TonyL]

Hi Tone. I did dabble with a Gamo, I think it was the Fox Delta. As a design engineer, they really were designed for manufacture - I think one torq driver did all of the fixings of the action to stock and the breech bolt as well. I think on the newer Gamo triggers, there is less opportunity to make small improvement (r/c bearing mod on the trigger pin) and to change the spring guide you'd have to cut it out of the trigger housing casting as the back block bolt goes through it. Hope you have some fun with it.

Cheers Mark.

I had seen some images on the 'net which sort of hinted that the guide might pull out of the end block once the bolt / pin is out? So I was really hoping that would be the case. Suppose I'll have to wait until we whip it to bits and see. Also, some images showed a smooth guide, others a more "serrated" affair? If it was a smooth standard guide, I suppose I could get a spring with a smaller ID and, hence, better fit. But then we'd be looking at smaller OD, too, so maybe a thicker piston sleeve?

I think there's a degree of adjustment to be had with the trigger, so we can see what a little twiddling yields there, too.

Already having fun, Mark. And despite the extreme twang and trigger, as said up above, it really does seem quite accurate, easily dropping all the pellets into a circle smaller than a penny at about 12 yards. Okay, not lazer-like, but I was in "plink" mode, the Hawke Sport HD scooe is not my favourite and I've only tried the freebie AA Hunter pellets. I have a feeling that some slightly larger, so tighter fitting, pellets wil be even better, so 'Domes and Accupells?

Will also chrono it when I get the chance as, despite the very easy cocking effort, it doesn't feel like it's a slouch.


Any more help / tips appreciated, nice BBS peeps.

[TonyL]

Nice story, Tony.

But is it really any good?

Cheers, Geez.

Well, in terms of how clinically good it is, we'll have to wait and see.

In terms of performance, so far, I'd say that it exceeds expectations and does seem quite accurate. Firing cycle seems quite nice, but it's hard to be really clear on that with the amount of twang going on! No play on the breech jaws (it has a bolt) and barrel lock up seems very secure.

I also have the feeling that, when I strip it I will be as underwhelmed as I was years ago when stripping BSAs. Maybe even more so?

But for a budget gun, I'd say it's good. And, for a freebie, excellent!

And I do really like the stock.

[CapitalBee]

Tony, I think I commented before on the Gamo I acquired, it shot okay, once you got used to the trigger. I think there might be an M3 screw that gives some trigger adjustment and it might be possible to add a slightly longer screw to improve things. I had similar accuracy results to you, 3/4" groups at 15mtrs weren't too shabby (JSB exacts 15.9gn). A lube and polished definitely helped. I swapped it for my FWB300s eventually

[TonyL]

Thanks Mark.

Do you know of any basic strip down guides that I could have a quick look at, having never worked on one before?

Part of me says to just leave as is and enjoy as the cheapie little plinkeroony that it is. And I don't know what the internal quality or finish / tolerances will be like.

But then a basic little strip, polish and lube will cost nothing and may transform the firing cycle.

And, as I said up above, I REALLY like the stock. So, with its manners improved somewhat, this could be a right little "sleeper" ratter / utility rifle.

[CapitalBee]

Tony, think smk xs19, or any of the Crosman or Benjamin break barrels. You shouldn't go too far wrong with that